Xbox 360 Game of the Year

You could write volumes about what makes Skyrim great: the excellent art direction and graphics, the fully realized world, the streamlined leveling system, and the sheer amount of depth and complexity in the game all make for an unrivaled experience. But it’s the things you don’t immediately think about that make Skyrim such an amazing game. Fighting zombie dragons as they taunt you with booming voices? Check. Watching forest creatures come out at dawn to drink from a nearby river? Check. Filling up your own home bookshelves with volumes detailing the history of Tamariel? Check.

Skyrim’s varied and immersive quests will keep you invested in the experience, while the fully realized open world is an absolute joy to explore should you want to stay from the path. Skyrim is not an experience to be missed, and hands down the best experience on the Xbox 360 this year.